Kenner murders lead to Jefferson Parish indictments

Two Kenner teens will be prosecuted as adults for killing a 16-year-old boy at block party this summer, a Jefferson Parish prosecutor said Thursday after a Jefferson Parish grand jury indicted the boys.

Terrance Augustine

Tory N. Clark, 15, and Charles B. Lathers, 16, are charged with second-degree murder in the June 26 death of Terrance Augustine, a Bonnabel Magnet Academy High School student who was shot twice in the head near the 2700 block of Greenwood Street.

Lathers, who turned 16 this month, and Clark told police Augustine was their friend and was not the intended target, Kenner Police Chief Steve Caraway has said. Detectives found 10 bullet casings at the scene. Augustine's family has disputed that claim.

The teens' identities had been withheld from the public because they are juveniles, until they were indicted as adults Thursday. They would spend the rest of their lives in prison with no chance of parole if convicted as charged.

They were to be transferred from the Rivarde Juvenile Detention Facility in Harvey to the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna, Assistant District Attorney Paul Schneider said. Judge Ellen Kovach of the 24th Judicial District Court set their bonds at $500,000.

Separately, the grand jury indicted Durrell Brown, 37, on a charge of second-degree murder for the May 15 death of Herbert McGee, 38, of Kenner who was stabbed 16 times in a Bainbridge Street home. Kenner police said Brown had lived in the home with a girlfriend, until their relationship ended. McGee was sitting on a couch when Brown allegedly showed up, threw a brick at him and began stabbing him, police said.

After the stabbing, Brown fled and stole a car from a convenience store clerk. For that, he was indicted Thursday on a charge of simple robbery. A U.S. Marshals Service task force arrested Brown four days later in Chicago, where he has family, police said.

Brown is held in the correctional center in Gretna in lieu of a $550,000 bond.